Aussie house sets record with 500,000 Christmas lights

[bananas]

Source: Associated Press

An Australian family has reclaimed their Guinness World Record by stringing up more than half a million Christmas lights around their suburban home.

Guinness World Records official Chris Sheedy confirmed Monday that the Richards family of Canberra set the record for Christmas lights on a residential property with 502,165 twinkling bulbs.

The family first entered the famous record book in 2001 with 331,038 multi-colored lights. But they were trumped last year by a family in LaGrangeville, New York, who illuminated their home with 346,283 lights.

<snip>

David Richards — husband of Janean and father of Aidan, 13, Caitlin, 10, and Madelyn, 6 — said most of his neighbors supported the display. But some hadn't spoken to him since the last record was set.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/24/australians-christmas-lights-record/3693383/

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AP shouldn't have left this part out:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-house-shatters-christmas-lights-record-20131125-2y4nj.html

<snip>

David Richards says he and his wife Janean and their three kids installed the 502,165 multicoloured streamers, icicles, candy canes, reindeer and other candescent decorations - some more exotic, some less - to raise funds for SIDS & Kids ACT.

"The charity is very close to our heart. We lost a child and SIDS looked after us many years ago," he said.

<snip>

But SIDS and Kids is the main reason he does the time-consuming task, to raise money for the work they do.

"It was very important for us," he said.

"Anyone who has been through that sort of loss will probably tell you the worst thing that can happen to you is losing a young child."

<snip>

[cui bono]

1. He could find a way to raise money that doesn't waste so much electricity.

Dumb.

[FrodosPet]

2. But I bet it is still a sight to see!

OMG I cannot get over how DULL so many people want the world to be.

Holiday lights can be beautiful (or they can be a jumbled mess - depends on the artist). I miss the days of old, of walking around the neighborhood checking out the displays (which 2 out of 3 houses had).

[cui bono]

5. Yeah, worrying about the environment is so DULL.

You're crying over someone not wanting to use more fossil fuels to light up a house with xmas lights because they'd rather save the planet, whose beauty far outshines the xmas lights? Really?

You have to start looking at the big picture. I am truly shocked at the number of people who don't think about being environmental both on this board and in my life.

[snooper2]

8. Take all the energy utilized in a month for the whole planet

Then factor in this guy running his xmas lights 24-7 for 30 days...


Tell me if the decimal point is 40 or 50 places removed

[cui bono]

9. Yeah, and add up all the xmas lights run every year and what do you get?

When did DU start making fun of conserving energy?

Glad you're laughing your ass off about it. The kids on this planet soon won't be.

[madrchsod]

4. the electric provider donates the families electric bill to a charity.

[msanthrope]

6. Well, aren't you a barrel of monkeys! nt

[Locrian]

3. does it look like thsi?

[struggle4progress]

7. Figuring a 100-bulb string of LED minilights runs at 40 watts, half of million bulbs

takes 200KW



I hope he's only running them about four hours a day: that would still add up to about 24MWH from now to Christmas, which at average US prices would add up to about $2600 for the month